Virtual proximity radius based web conferencing

Abstract

Techniques for utilizing a communication system that provides access to a representation of a virtual environment to participants. The communication system may establish connections between personal communication bridge(s) associated with participant(s) interacting within a virtual proximity radius of one another's virtual indicator in the virtual environment. The communication system may cause conversation data to be sent each personal communication bridge associated with a participant that is within the virtual proximity radius of the sender, and cause conversation data to be received via the personal communication bridge of a participant that is within the virtual proximity radius of the sender. The communication system may also analyze data associated with the participant profile(s) and transcribed conversation data from the communication bridges(s) to recommend potential conversations of interest to participant(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at a network-based communication system and from a first user device associated with a first user account, a request to access a virtual environment; 
 providing the first user account with access to a user interface that represents the virtual environment; 
 providing a first virtual indicator via the user interface, associated with the first user account, at a first virtual location in the virtual environment, wherein the virtual environment includes a plurality of virtual indicators associated with additional user accounts; 
 determining that a second virtual indicator associated with a second user account is within a first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being within the first virtual proximity radius, sending first communication data from a second user device associated with the second user account to the first user device via a first personal communication bridge; 
 determining that the first virtual indicator is outside of a second virtual proximity radius of the second virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on determining that the first virtual indicator is outside of the second virtual proximity radius of the second virtual indicator, refraining from sending second communication data from the first user device to the second user device via a second personal communication bridge. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 providing, to the first user account and from the network-based communication system, a recommendation to move the first virtual indicator to a second virtual location in the virtual environment, wherein at least a third virtual indicator associated with a third user account is within the first virtual proximity radius from the second virtual location; 
 receiving, at the network-based communication system and from the first user device, an acceptance of the recommendation; 
 determining, based at least in part on the first virtual indicator moving to the second location, that the second virtual indicator is outside the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, disbanding a connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge; 
 determining that the third virtual indicator associated with the third user account is within the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the third virtual indicator being within the first virtual proximity radius, connecting the first personal communication bridge to a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account, wherein data can be communicated between the first user device and a third user device associated with the third user account via at least one of the first personal communication bridge and the third personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , the operations further comprising:
 generating a first context associated with the first user account, the first context based at least in part on first content associated with the first user account, the first content including at least one of:
 a first conversation history; 
 a first spoken language; 
 a first accent; 
 a first gender; 
 a first speech style; 
 a first connection quality; or 
 first social media data; 
 
 generating a second context associated with the third user account, the second context based at least in part on second content associated with the third user account, the second context including at least one of:
 a second conversation history; 
 a second spoken language; 
 a second accent; 
 a second gender; 
 a second speech style; 
 a second connection quality; or 
 second social media data; 
 
 determining a level of similarity between the first context and the second context; 
 determining that the level of similarity satisfies a threshold level of similarity; and 
 generating the recommendation based at least in part on the level of similarity satisfying the threshold level of similarity. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first conversation history and the second conversation history are at least one of:
 a short-lived conversation history including a most recent conversation associated with the first user account or the third user account; or 
 a long-lived conversation history including multiple conversations associated with the first user account or the third user account. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 analyzing a conversation represented by at least one of the first communication data associated with the first personal communication bridge or the second communication data associated with the second personal communication bridge; 
 determining, based at least in part on analyzing the conversation, a topic of the conversation; 
 identifying a third user account having preferences that correspond to the topic of the conversation; and 
 providing, to the third user account and from the network-based communication system, a recommendation to join the conversation based at least in part on the third user account having preferences that correspond to the topic of the conversation. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving, at the network-based communication system and from the first user device, user input representing a command to increase the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 determining that a third virtual indicator associated with a third user account is within the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the third virtual indicator being within the second virtual proximity radius, connecting the first personal communication bridge to a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account, wherein communication data can be communicated at least to the first user device and from a third user device associated with the third user account via the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving, at the network-based communication system and from the first user device, user input representing a command to decrease the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 determining that the second virtual indicator is outside the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, disbanding a connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first personal communication bridge is configured to route the communication data to the first user device and from the second user device associated with the second user account; and 
 the second personal communication bridge is configured to route the communication data from the first user device and to second user device associated with second user account. 
 
     
     
       9. A method comprising:
 receiving, at a network-based communication system and from a first user device associated with a first user account, a request to access a virtual environment; 
 providing the first user account with access to a user interface that represents the virtual environment; 
 providing a first virtual indicator via the user interface, associated with the first user account, at a first virtual location in the virtual environment, wherein the virtual environment includes a plurality of virtual indicators associated with additional user accounts; 
 determining that a second virtual indicator associated with a second user account is within a first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being within the first virtual proximity radius, sending first communication data from a second user device associated with the second user account to the first user device via a first personal communication bridge; 
 determining whether the first virtual indicator is within a second virtual proximity radius of the second virtual indicator, wherein the second virtual proximity radius is different from the first virtual proximity radius; and 
 based at least in part on determining that the first virtual indicator is within the second virtual proximity radius of the second virtual indicator sending second communication data from the first user device to the second user device via a second personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing, to the first user account and from the network-based communication system, a recommendation to move the first virtual indicator to a second virtual location in the virtual environment, wherein at least a third virtual indicator associated with a third user account is within the first virtual proximity radius from the second virtual location; 
 receiving, at the network-based communication system and from the first user device, an acceptance of the recommendation; 
 determining, based at least in part on the first virtual indicator moving to the second location, that the second virtual indicator is outside the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, disbanding a connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge; 
 determining that the third virtual indicator associated with the third user account is within the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the third virtual indicator being within the first virtual proximity radius, connecting the first personal communication bridge to a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account, wherein data can be communicated at least to the first user device and from a third user device associated with the third user account via the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining first content associated with the first user account, the first content including at least one of:
 a first conversation history; 
 a first spoken language; 
 a first accent; 
 a first gender; 
 a first speech style; 
 a first connection quality; or 
 first social media data; 
 
 determining second content associated with the third user account, the second content including at least one of:
 a second conversation history; 
 a second spoken language; 
 a second accent; 
 a second gender; 
 a second speech style; 
 a second connection quality; or 
 second social media data; 
 
 determining a level of similarity between the first content and the second content; 
 determining that the level of similarity satisfies a threshold level of similarity; and 
 generating the recommendation based at least in part on the level of similarity satisfying the threshold level of similarity. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first conversation history and the second conversation history are at least one of:
 a short-lived conversation history including a most recent conversation associated with the first user account or the third user account; or 
 a long-lived conversation history including multiple conversations associated with the first user account or the third user account. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the network-based communication system and from the first user device, user input representing a command to increase the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 determining that a third virtual indicator associated with a third user account is within the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the third virtual indicator being within the second virtual proximity radius, connecting the first personal communication bridge to a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account, wherein data can be communicated at least to the first user device and from a third user device associated with the third user account via the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the network-based communication system and from the first user device, user input representing a command to decrease the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 determining that the second virtual indicator is outside the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, disbanding a connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       15. A method comprising:
 sending, from a first user device associated with a first user account and to a network-based communication system, a request to access a virtual environment; 
 receiving, at the first user device and from the network-based communication system, access to a user interface that represents the virtual environment, wherein the virtual environment includes a plurality of virtual indicators associated with additional user accounts; 
 receiving, via the user interface, a first virtual indicator at a first virtual location in the virtual environment, the first virtual indicator being associated with the first user account and having a first virtual proximity radius, wherein a second virtual indicator associated with a second user account is within the first virtual proximity radius; and 
 determining that a first connection between a first personal communication bridge of the first user device and a second personal communication bridge associated with the second user account has been established, wherein the first connection is configured to send communication data to the first user device and from a second user device associated with the second user account via at least the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the first user device and from the network-based communication system, a recommendation to move the first virtual indicator to a second virtual location in the virtual environment, wherein at least a third virtual indicator associated with a third user account is within the first virtual proximity radius from the second virtual location; 
 receiving input at the first user device, the input representing an acceptance of the recommendation; 
 determining that the first connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge has been disbanded based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside of the first virtual proximity of the first virtual indicator; and 
 determining that a second connection between the first personal communication bridge and a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account has been established, the third user account being associated with the third virtual indicator that is within the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, wherein communication data can be communicated between the first user device and a third user device associated with the third user account via the first personal communication bridge and the third personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the recommendation is based at least in part on similarity data representing a level of similarity associated with the first user account and the third user account, the similarity data based at least in part on at least one of:
 a first conversation history associated with the first user account; 
 a second conversation history associated with the third user account; 
 a first connection level associated with the first personal communication bridge; 
 a second connection level associated with the third personal communication bridge; 
 first preferences associated with the first user account; and 
 second preferences associated with the second user account. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving input at the first user device via the user interface, the input representing a command to move the first virtual indicator associated with the first user account to a second virtual location in the virtual environment; 
 sending, from the first user device and to the network-based communication system, an indication that the first virtual indicator moved from the first virtual location to a second virtual location; 
 determining that the first connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge has been disbanded based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside of the first virtual proximity of the first virtual indicator; and 
 determining that a second connection between the first personal communication bridge and a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account has been established, the third user account being associated with a third virtual indicator that is within the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, wherein the second connection is configured to send the communication data the first user device and from a third user device associated with the third user account via at least the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving input at the first user device via the user interface, the input representing a command to increase the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 sending from the first user device and to the network-based communication system, an indication that the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator increased to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 determining that a second connection between the first personal communication bridge and a third personal communication bridge associated with a third user account has been established, the third user account being associated with a third virtual indicator that is within the second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator, wherein the second connection is configured to send the communication data to the first user device and from a third user device associated with the third user account via at least the first personal communication bridge. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving input at the first user device via the user interface, the input representing a command to decrease the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; 
 sending, from the first user device and to the network-based communication system, an indication that the first virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator decreased to a second virtual proximity radius of the first virtual indicator; and 
 determining that the first connection between the second personal communication bridge and the first personal communication bridge has been disbanded based at least in part on the second virtual indicator being outside of the second virtual proximity of the first virtual indicator.